Japanese units of measurement
Traditional Japanese measurement system still used in carpentry and agriculture.
Traditional Japanese units of measurement, known as the shakkanhō (尺貫法), form the indigenous system of measurement used by the people of the Japanese archipelago. Following the Meiji Restoration, Imperial Japan defined these units in metric terms, and they continue to see use in carpentry, agriculture, and traditional commerce.
- field
- Measurement systems
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Traditional units such as shaku, tsubo, gō, and kan
- based_on
- Chinese system (Tang dynasty)
Lore & Background
The shakkanhō system was a local adaptation of the traditional Chinese system, imposed and adjusted by local and imperial statutes over time.
Reader's Guide
The significance of Japanese units of measurement lies in their deep cultural and practical roots, persisting even after metrication became legally mandatory. The legacy of these units is also preserved in cultural artifacts like the shakuhachi flute (literally 'shaku eight') and the folk tale Issun Bōshi ('one sun boy').
Did You Know?
- The Japanese system was largely based on the Chinese system, which spread to Japan in antiquity.
- The carpentry shaku (kanejaku) was used for construction, while the cloth shaku (kujirajaku) was 1/4 longer and used for measuring cloth.
- The tsubo, a unit of area equivalent to a square ken, is still used informally in real estate and was also used in Taiwan, where it is called the píng.
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